Mayor Jose Benitez Pantoja has warned
that minerals in his town's drinking water is turning citizens gay.

Benitez warned against side-effects
from the metal strontium, which he claimed had contaminated the water
supply of the town of Huarmey, Peru.

“Unfortunately strontium reduces male
hormones and suddenly we'll be as Tabalosos, where the percentages
are increasing of homosexuality,” he said, referring to the town of
Tabalosos, which is located in Peru's interior and provides the
town's water. (Hear
the audio by RRP.)

Benitez made his comments during a
community event for a Water for All project in his province.

“The chicken we eat is loaded with
female hormones,” Morales, 52, said during an official appearance.
“So when men eat those chickens, they have deviations in their
being as men.”

Strontium, which is naturally
occurring, can cause bone cancer, anemia and cardiovascular
complications in unusually high doses, scientists have warned.
However, no link to sexual orientation has ever been suggested
before.